A plurality of straps for tying down cargo such as, without limitation, lumber, plywood, pipe, pallets, brick, and other objects are known. In most instances, a wrench, crank or other type of mechanism providing a handle is used to spool the straps when not in use and/or tighten the straps around the cargo. Typically, a truck is equipped with 8-12 binding devices which are used to secure the cargo to the flat-bed of the truck. However, a significant amount of time is used when the driver or other personnel must manually turn the handle repeatedly to tighten the strap of each binding device around the cargo or to spool the strap of each binding device after unloading. As can be appreciated, it is desirable to provide a binding device having a winch winding mechanism which rapidly spools and/or tightens the strap of a binding device.
Several devices have been patented which are aimed at binding devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,565, by Chan, entitled "WINCH BAR" discloses a winch bar for winding a winch having a winding drum with an annular wall. A plurality of winch bar receiving apertures extends diametrically through the drum on opposite sides of the wall. The winch bar is designed to be received in two of the apertures wherein the winch bar traverses the center axis of the winch as the winch bar is secured in the two apertures. The winch bar provides a hand for rotating the winch about the center axis of the winding drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,608, by Royball, entitled "STRAP TIGHTENING DEVICE" discloses a strap tightening device including a frame having a drum rotationally mounted thereto. The drum is provided with an extension having a plurality of borehole openings for receiving a bar to facilitate rotating the drum. Alternately a box shaped opening is provided for receiving a box wrench. The box wench or the bar is used to rotate the drum in a counterclockwise direction to wrap the strap about the drum in order to cinch the strap down over the cargo U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,652, by van Iperen, entitled "CARGO RESTRAINING DEVICE" discloses a cargo restraining device for securing thereto a strap around a cylinder. The cylinder is rotated via a removable socket having a cylindrical wall and a lugengaging cross pin for releasably engaging the split lug protruding from the cylinder. A lug wrench square socket opening is provided at the opposite end of the socket to be releasably engaged by a square lug socket ratchet wrench for rotating the socket and cylinders to tighten the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,993, by Meigs, entitled "TRUCK LOAD BINDER TIGHTENER" discloses a binder tightener including a shaft having one end formed for receiving a tool for turning the shaft. Meigs discloses that a nut may be welded on the end of the shaft, preferably a hexagonal nut so that an air-driven socket wrench can be applied to the nut to turn the shaft in order to wind the chain around the sprocket and thereby tightened the load binder. Furthermore, the nut and shaft may be provided with a through passage in which a bar or rod can be inserted for turning the shaft. The problem with an air-driven socket wrench is that air hoes and a source of air for driving the air-socket wrench are required.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,286, by Holmberg, entitled "STRAP TIGHTENER" discloses a strap tightener including a strap reel and an operating lever which is pivoted at one end thereof on the strap reel. The operating lever consists of two limbs rigidly interconnected by means of a riveted web and a handle riveted to the other end of the operating lever.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,473, by Coffey et al., entitled "LOAD BINDING DEVICE COMPRISING WINCH MEANS AND EQUALIZER MEANS" discloses a binding device using a crank to wind a winch member. The crank is attached to a square shaft which extends from the cylindrical portion of a longitudinal worm gear. The longitudinal worm gear is rotated in a clockwise direction to rotate in a clockwise direction a winch member.
It can be readily seen that there exists the continuing need for a rapid spooling/tightening binding device including a uniquely designed winch winder mechanism having a rotatable shaft substantially aligned with the center axis of the winch and which is couplable to a drill to rapidly spool the binding strap about a strap spooling reel wherein, in the preferred embodiment, the drill is a cordless drill. The winch winder mechanism is removably coupled to the winch for use with other binding devices.